How Can Soft Skills Be Measured?

Soft Skills Are More Difficult To Measure Than Hard Skills

In today’s workplace, soft skills are becoming more and more important. That is because soft skills can’t be taught on a resume or in an interview- they come from experience and personality. The issue is that soft skills don’t have tangible measures like hard skills do, which makes them difficult to quantify. In this tutorial, we will discuss the different soft skill categories such as interpersonal skills, communication, problem solving, critical thinking and many others. We’ll also look at ways to measure soft skills so you know if your employees possess these valuable traits!

The soft skills that are important in the workplace usually relate to interpersonal skills, communication and other soft skill categories. Communication is one of the key soft skill areas because workers need it for both internal and external communications- not just talking to their coworkers but also with clients or customers, too! So how can you measure a person’s communication abilities?

Communication soft skills are difficult to measure because interpersonal communication is not something that can be quantified with a number. Communication soft skills include both written and verbal communications, so you might want to use the person’s ability to evaluate others’ needs or interests as well as how they present new ideas- do they listen actively or quickly? You could also evaluate their ability to speak clearly in front of a large group, or how well they can give constructive criticism. These soft skills are easier to measure because these soft skill categories have measurable results.

For instance, see below:

– Can they evaluate others’ needs or interests?

– Does their written work have few grammatical errors?

– Do they speak clearly and concisely when giving presentations to clients?

– Do they listen actively when other people are speaking?

– Are their critiques constructive, objective, and without unnecessary reasoning behind it?

Soft Skills Can Also Be Measured By Asking Specific Questions

Furthermore, these yes or no questions, for each individual soft skill, can help you measure and somehow quantify those skills:

* Communication: Is the person able to clearly speak in presentations, listen actively when others are speaking and give constructive criticism?

* Interpersonal skills: Do they have good communication with their coworkers or clients/customers?

* Teamwork: Do they work well on a team without drama or conflict? Does this individual know how to work with people who might have different opinions or ideas?

* Critical thinking: Do they critically evaluate their own work and the work of others?

* Problem-solving skills: Can this person identify, analyze, and solve problems on their own instead of having them solved for them all the time?

* Flexibility: Do they have the ability to work in a variety of different situations or with people who might not be like them?

* Adaptability: Can this person adapt quickly when things change- are they able to roll with it and adjust accordingly, rather than resist change that may actually help their team succeed in the long-run?

* Leadership: Can this person lead a team, even without being the one in charge?

* Courageousness: Do they have the courage to take risks or make tough decisions when necessary and face consequences for their actions- do they own up to their mistakes and learn from them with grace instead of blaming others?

* Responsibility: Is this person responsible for their own work, including follow-through?

* Caring and compassion: Do they have a caring personality or show empathy towards those who need it?

* Integrity: Do they have high integrity and follow through on promises made to others?

* Selflessness: Do they prioritize other people’s needs before their own?

* Creativity and curiosity: Does the person have a creative approach to problem-solving or managing tasks in difficult situations without being told what employers want them to do? Do they show an active interest in learning about everything that’s going on around them so that they can be more helpful during times of need?

* Dependability: Does this person show up to work on time, pay attention during meetings and take their job seriously?

* Patience: Is the person able to be patient with others when they’re frustrated or angry- is this individual understanding without being dismissive of what someone needs, even if it doesn’t involve them personally?

* Organization skills: Does the person handle their tasks in an organized manner?

* Self-motivation: Does this individual have self-drive and motivation to complete a project or task on time without being told what employers want them to do?

* Initiative: Is this person willing to go out of their way for others when needed, even if they’re not being paid for it?

* Punctuality: Does the person show up to work on time and pay attention during meetings without being told what employers want them to do?

* Willingness to learn: Does this person have the desire to learn new skills or take on more responsibilities without being told what employers want them to do?

* Energy: Does the person show up with lots of energy and enthusiasm for their work, ready to jump right in without needing a lot of direction from others?

* Confidence: Does this individual walk confidently into a room or have the confidence to take on new responsibilities without being told what employers want them to do?

* Humility: Does this person show humility when mistakes are made- is it easy for others around them to admit their own faults and move forward, rather than blame others or be defensive about making a mistake themselves?

* Focus: Can this person focus on what’s important and not getting side-tracked by distractions?

* Judgmentalness: Do they treat others with kindness, understanding and respect no matter who they are or how different they may be?

* Empathy: Do they have the ability to put themselves in other people’s shoes and see things from their perspective?

* Self-control: Is this person able to regulate what they do or say without being told what employers want them to do?

* Open-mindedness: Are they willing to consider new ideas or different ways of doing things, rather than being set in their way?

* Tolerance: Do they have a tolerant personality and are able to be compassionate with others who may not share the same view-points as them without trying to control them or put limitations on what is acceptable for someone else?

* Work ethic: Observing someone in a meeting, asking co-workers about their work ethic and how they handle themselves with others.

Measuring Soft Skills When Hiring 

* Checking references from previous employers or people who have worked with them closely.

* Reading the person’s resume to see what kind of projects they’ve completed in the past and how they’ve handled themselves.

* Giving someone a task to complete that can show their skills- for example, if you’re hiring an assistant to help with your social media profile or online store, give them tasks related to this so you have an idea of what kind of person they are before deciding on whether or not to hire them.

* Conducting an interview and asking them questions related to soft skills- for example, “if you were hiring someone who is applying to be your assistant, what would they need in order to prove themselves that they have a good work ethic?”

* Asking candidates to complete an assessment test related to their areas of expertise- these tests can measure a person’s skills and abilities in the areas they’re applying for. For example, if you need someone to run your online store, you could ask them to complete tasks related to that before deciding on whether or not to hire them.

* Looking through their resume for experience with other companies who have similar needs as yours.

* Going to their social media accounts and looking through the comments they’ve made on other people’s posts- this can provide employers with an idea of what kind of person they are.

* Asking them questions about themselves that relate to soft skills, for example “what is your greatest strength?” or “how do you react when someone disagrees with you?”

* Giving them a list of personality traits and asking which ones they think are most like their own- this can provide insight into what types of people the applicant is compatible with.

* Offering to tell them about your company culture before interviewing or hiring someone for an assistant position so that they’re able to prepare themselves beforehand, knowing what to expect.

* Offering them the opportunity to shadow someone first, so they can see how you work and gain more insight about your company culture before deciding if it would be a good fit for them or not.

* Giving candidates a list of questions to answer about themselves and their role- this can provide insight into what types of people the applicant is compatible with.

Giving Feedback about Soft Skills

* Giving feedback to employees in a constructive way so that they’re able to grow and be more successful is an important part of being a good manager.

* Constructive criticism can help employers identify areas for improvement and the steps needed to improve those aspects, while praise can show them what’s working well.

* Be sure not to give feedback in front of others- this can make the employee feel embarrassed or humiliated.

* Be mindful that employees may not understand why they’re being criticized, so be sure to explain where improvements are needed and how those areas could be improved.

* Praise should always come with constructive criticism as it’s a great way for employers to provide feedback and motivate their employees.

* Praise and criticism should be given on a regular basis because it helps to provide feedback for both the employer and employee, as well as keeps things in perspective by allowing them to have good days while they work hard at improving themselves.

* To communicate effectively with your team members, you need to keep communication channels open, and be sure to always listen as well.

* Emotions should never affect a conversation where feedback is being given- it’s important that the employer can stay calm during these moments in order to provide constructive criticism without making things worse for themselves or the employee.